The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-07-30
THE GARDENER.
GnrdeM Hints.

Summer pruning is very advantageous
on trees and shrubs, and should be more
widely practiced. A iudicious thinning
out while the tree or shrub is growing
would save much work in the winter sea-
son, when it is too often the custom to get
the cowboy with shears, or a laborer with
ak or saw, to chop off the head md ire
trievably ruin things. The finger and
thumb on the young branches of pines
while they are growing have a wonderful
effect on the beauty of the tree.
Evergreen trees love pruning as well as
deciduous. The Scotch pine and the Chi
nese arbor vitye are two plants which de-
rive much benefit from the pruning knife,
Both these are very liable TO get ragged
when lett entirely to their natural in
chnatons, but grow with beautiful com
pact Iuxuriance under the occasional APP
plication of the knife. The Scotch pine,
with ludlclous pruning, makes one of the
most beautiful ornaments of the lawn.
1t can be made to take many odd forms.
Dcuiduous shrubs NAV often be trained
into interesting forms. The wistaria smen-
sis, for instance, makes a very interesting
object trained as n small tree. If tied up
to a stake for one or two years and then
suffered to stand alone it will make q
pretty, round head, and when in spring
the pendant blossoms are in profusion it
makes a unique ornament on the lawn.
The best material for soil for mountain
plants is rotted leaf soil, such as is made
at'hOme or raked up from the hollows in
the woods. Also the thin lining of leaf
mould to be found in the hollows in rich
woods, and which may be skinned off with
sharp spade, IS an excellent material.
This, mixed and chopped up, together
with a little sharp sand added, forms a
soil ii which most wild plants will estab-
lsh themselves. After planting mulch the
ground with sphagnum moss.
In cutting grass with lawn mower on a
slope of considerable inclination, the
method customarily followed by some gar
deneis is to attach a rope to the user of
the machine, said rope to be held by an
assistant standing at the top of the bank.
A second rope is frequently attached to the
machine itself and is held by q second as
sIstant. 1t is suggested that the operator
be provided with pair of shoes having
double corrugated soles, such as are used
by lawn tennis players, instead of cutting
the ludicrous figure described above
An English gardener uses the following
inexpensive and useful continuance for
lesseniug the stream of wnter flowing
from water pot, as is often necessary
when watering small plants and cuttings
He proCures a cork and burns a hole
through its center by means of a hot iron,
and then inserts a portion of a goose Quill
which is slightly longer than the cork it
self. The cork tapers so that it will suit
almost any watering pot.
Mulch is recommended for strawberry
culture to keep the ground cool and nice
After the second hoeing, Just as tie flowers
are opening, correspondent writes that
be places cornstalks between the rows
right up under the plants. After the fruit
Is gathered he takes up the stalks. This
IS no great task in a small patch. He then
keeps the ground hoed and clean all sum
mer, cutting off all runners that come be-
tween the rows, but letting the plants
grow together In the row if they will.
The second year is the great year in
strawberry culture. The above correspond
ent does not hoe much after the second
season crop is out. If, however, he de-
sires to get few hundred plants for set
ting out a new bed, he forks up piece be
tween the rows and manu.es it well, pegs
down the first plants that appear, and
pincleS the runner back so that 1t pro-
duceS but one plant. Then he has beauti-
full plants for the September setting.
A Michigan apple grower recommends
the lractlce Of spraying apple trees with
! ariS green to preserve the fruit from
worms Sprayed on Just after the bios
SONS fall, the poison seems to kill off the
brood of moths that survive the winter.
I h brood Is small, the main damage be
ing done by the later hatchings. There is
danger Of injury to the trees by the use of
too strong solutions. One pound 10 fifty
gallons Cf water is the maximum, though
half the quantity Is often sufficient. Do
not allow the spray to be blown back
against the face of the operator.
7 his is no special art in summer pruning
grapes. Simply do not allow any shoots
TO grow that you do not want to retain next
wear. Go over the plants occasionally and
/ rub ont With the finger and thumb the